


Interchange

by thereisafire



Category: Mawaru Penguindrum
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27453874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thereisafire/pseuds/thereisafire
Summary: Shouma makes connections. Post-series, with all that entails.
Relationships: Oginome Ringo/Takakura Shouma
Comments: 8
Kudos: 9





	Interchange

**Author's Note:**

> **To everyone:** This is best read with Creator's Style turned on.  
>  **To the person this is for:** I'm glad we met.

**

25 

**

**Ikebukuro**

Oginome Ringo first meets the blue-haired boy at the Pingrocer near Ikebukuro station. He's dressed in a West Garden High uniform, clutching the same discount flyer she's holding, and clearly contemplating this branch's unadvertised deal on fruit. The display near the check-out counter is full of shiny fresh apples in clear plastic bags, and would be _perfect_ for apple jam if only they sold them in quantities that weren't gigantic Santa-Claus-sized sacks. 

Ringo does the mental math. Nope. No way. Even if her mother gets back early from her business trip, she'll be at major risk of being sick of apples by then, which would be bad (and, frankly, embarrassing, considering the origin of Ringo's name). The boy seems to have come to a similar conclusion, and marches off into the aisles. She takes her cue from him, resuming her hunt for deals, but she eventually ends up circling back to the same spot, basket at her feet, staring at the same transparent bag of apples. The boy's returned too, his basket full of the typical I'm-a-student-living-alone canned food and microwaveable rice, and he's looking at the apples like they're the only prospect of fiber he'll have for the week. He glances over at Ringo, and she comes to a decision.

"Would you like to share them," she blurts out before she can change her mind, and there's an echo she chalks up to the store's weird acoustics before she realises that he's said the exact same thing at the exact same time. His ears are turning red in sheepish realisation. It's kind of cute.

"So that's a yes to sharing the apples," Ringo says, putting an end to his internal torture. "How about I pay first, and then we can split it outside after you pay me back?" 

"That would be great," he says. "I haven't had fresh fruit in ages."

"Do you live alone?"

"Yeah," he says. "I just transferred here. I'm trying to buy in bulk and save some money, but even then, this store's quantities are kind of..."

"Oh, no, I get it," Ringo says. "They keep having these ridiculous deals lately, but my mum's away on business trips, so—"

"I know!" the boy exclaims. "How am I supposed to finish all of that, right? And they're always unadvertised, so I can't even plan ahead—" 

"That deal with the rice, what _was_ that, I almost couldn't even carry it back—"

"The sanma! Were you there for the sanma deal? Five for the price of two, and if you decided to buy just one after seeing that deal, it was like that penguin sticker was personally telling you how much money you wasted—"

Ringo makes up her mind.

"You know what?" she asks. "How about we exchange contacts after this, and maybe we can meet up for shopping trips and split the deals?" She wouldn't normally suggest this to someone she'd just met, but something about this meeting seems fated, somehow. Like everything that day's been part of some grand design—and maybe grocery-store flyers crammed into a mailbox and a giant bag of apples aren't what most would consider the red thread of fate at work, but if she wants to believe it is, who's going to stop her?

"That would be great," the boy says, lifting her shopping basket off the ground, together with the sack of apples. "Want to go pay up, then?" She could probably manage the burden herself, but she lets him have this round. 

"I'm Oginome Ringo, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Ringo," the boy says. "I'm Kasahara Shouma."  
  


* * *

█ 

flashback

  
UNKNOWN  
UNKNOWN ago  
The Interchange  
※ I got off the train. A strange girl with peach-coloured eyes. She told me to connect.

Despite their initial aims of travelling across the universe together, the red-haired boy beside him looks increasingly pensive as the journey continues. Galaxies pass beyond the train's window, the penguins' kyuu-kyuu resonating in time with the gata-gata sound of the train rattling along its fixed tracks, and when the train reaches the interchange, the red-haired boy refuses to disembark with him. 

"You go ahead," the red-haired boy says. "I'll stay on."

"It's a loop line," the other boy replies. "It'll just go back to the start. If you don't get off now, you'll miss your chance!"

"I know." He glances up at the train map. "I have a lot to think about. Next round I'll—" and whatever he has to say next is cut off by the train's closing doors.

The interchange is a rainbow of lines, and after hours of stumbling through throngs of every possible being, looking at route maps and trying to decide what his next transfer should be, the other boy finds a blessedly empty part of the station. It looks much older than the rest—there aren't any safety barriers, just disused open track, and a faded map with stop names that are printed much too small to read. The only decipherable piece of information is that there are 95 stops on the unnamed line.

A pink-haired girl is sitting on a bench, swinging her legs in mid-air. There's a wad of crumpled fabric in her lap, and another one to her side. Both wads have large pearlescent beads attached to them, dangling over the edge of the seat, and the constant sway of the girl's scuffed red mary janes against them makes everything clack together like overhead grab handles.

Her peach-coloured eyes meet the boy's. 

"Where's the other?" she asks. "Your friend."

"He's still on the train. He didn't want to get off."

The girl tightens her grip on the crumpled fabric in her lap. "It has to be you, then."

"We can wait for—"

"There's no time," she says. "They're already moving again. It needs to start now, even if he isn't here."

"What do you mean?"

"Try to connect, if you can." With that, she tosses one of the fabric wads at him. "Good luck. You'll need it."

The boy instinctively reaches out to catch it, and the ground gives way beneath his feet. As he tumbles through blank black space, the pile of fabric and its gleaming beads spinning after him, streaming with crystalline fire as it falls, he can't help thinking that the face printed on it looks something like a penguin.  
  


* * *

  


#### Ringo, Shouma

  


Ringo
    Shouma!!
    I know it's not our grocery day but can you help me out tomorrow? 

Shouma
    What's it?

Ringo
    Are you free in the afternoon?

Shouma
    I'm free every weekday

Ringo
    Wait, doesn't West Garden have compulsory extracurriculars?

Shouma
    I transferred in the middle of the term so my homeroom teacher said I could take my time to make up my mind
    I'm part of the go-home club for now
    Most of the choices are sports

Ringo
    Ugh, seriously? Good luck finding something you like, whatever that is...
    That's probably not sports, though - I've seen you run
    Anyway I have this friend Himari
    We met on a train a while back (long story)
    She's the sweetest girl, but she might not be the best with crowds because she spent lots of time in the hospital as a kid
    She loves knitting and crafts, and there's some megasale at Yozawaya tomorrow
    I told her I'd go with her, but my school just announced this compulsory afternoon assembly about god-knows-what
    Himari's stubborn, so she'll probably try to go even if I can't make it, but when it comes to defending herself in the wild...

Shouma
    I'm on it
    Can you pass me her contact details? I can meet her there after school gets out

Ringo
    **Contact: Takamiya Himari**
    Also, I know you're a guy, and she's a girl, and you'll be helping her out, but...

Shouma
    Don't worry
    She'll be my kid sister for the day

  


* * *

**

08 

**

**Shinjuku**

Shouma's kid sister for the day is much, much more energetic than Ringo led him to believe. Himari's the one charging into crowds to get the perfect shade of hand-dyed alpaca wool, while he's left holding the bag—literally. They've hit Yozawaya, Odakaya, and he suspects they might be heading to Kiga Works next because Himari's been murmuring something about beads for her latest project.

"Do you have any hobbies, Shouma?" Himari shouts as she struggles her way back through the throng. 

"Does couponing count?"

"Like Ringo and her Pingrocer flyers? Bzzt, rejected!" Himari places another skein of wool and its attached receipt into the bag that's increasingly straining at its seams. "A _hobby_ hobby!"

"Planning meals?"

Himari puffs her cheeks out. "That doesn't count as a hobby either, that's basic survival! On a regular day, what do you do for fun?"

Shouma considers his daily routine. He goes to school and tries his best to pay attention despite terminal lack of interest. After that, he comes back home to a blank grey box of an apartment that sways and rumbles every time a train leaves Ikebukuro station, cooks dinner, does homework, and stares at the ceiling fan above his bed till he falls asleep and the next day begins. He vaguely remembers being interested in trains, or at least riding a train with someone (parents? friends? strangers?), but every time he tries to remember any specifics, everything seems to fade away. His past feels as empty as his present, and his future—well. The less said the better. 

"Nothing at the moment," Shouma says, before realising how depressing that sounds, and scrambles to course-correct before Himari decides to ask Ringo how she met such a gloomy loser. "I'm open to suggestions, though! Got any recommendations?"

Himari taps one finger on her cheek, thinking. "Have you ever tried knitting? Or crochet?"

"Not yet," Shouma says, trying his best to sound like a go-getter on the prowl for hobbies, instead of someone who spent his lunch break avoiding his homeroom teacher and the extracurricular activities application form. He must have done something right, because Himari's face lights up with enthusiasm, and Kiga Works' array of beads and crystals gets skipped over in favour of a visit to the Takamiya residence, where she foists her beginner guides, hooks, needles, and skeins of yarn on him. 

After a while of trying to replicate the steps in _Amigurumi for Beginners_ (Project 1: Understanding the Magic Ring), before giving up and trying to knit instead, Shouma notices that the sun's about to set. Himari's busy in the kitchen, so he shoves his stuff into his bag, and gets ready to make a move.

Himari looms over him, arms folded. "Where do you think you're going, mister?"

"Uh. H-home?"

"At least stay for dinner!" 

"Your family, though..."

"Uncle and Auntie won't be back for dinner, and they said it was okay to have a friend over!" Himari brandishes her phone like she's presenting evidence. "Besides, Ringo's vouched for you, it's totally fine! Sit there and I'll get started on the curry rice—and don't you dare try to help, you were carrying my stuff around all day! It's my turn to do something nice for you!"

Shouma meekly concedes, and settles down again to take a stab at _A Guide to Circular Knitting_ (Introduction: Knitting in the Round). The illustrations in the book seem to operate in at least four dimensions, and trying to comprehend them makes his entire brain hurt—particularly the diagram of multi-colour tuck stitches, which looks like a ridiculously complicated train system map.

"Himari?" Shouma asks. "How do you do this part? Or, actually, all of it?"

Himari peeks over his shoulder. "Hmm-mmm. This might be too advanced for you right now, I think. It might be better for you to start small and work up...or maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"You could try thinking of something you'd like to make, or a friend you'd like to give something to. If you've got the motivation to do something for someone, even tough projects can seem simple! Is there anyone you’d like to do something for?"

Shouma considers it. The only person close to being special in his life is probably Ringo (and the runner-up is probably Yamashita, who helped him out with his graph theory worksheet once), and giving either of them something handmade would be weird, so maybe...himself? But that's even weirder—

"What are you thinking about?" Himari asks.

Shouma tries to figure out his train of thought, which seems to be stuck somewhere at Worthless Station on the way to Idiot Interchange. "Well, I was thinking of making something for my living room, but that seems like a waste of time...I mean, if I'm going to put the effort in to make something, it might as well be for someone important."

Himari looks puzzled. "Why would it be a waste of time? You're pretty important to you, right?"

"Um," Shouma says. "Is that a rhetorical question?"

"Well, Mr. Gloomy, since you're avoiding my question, you can pretend I forced you to do something for yourself." Himari brandishes a knitting needle, making mock-fencing gestures at him. "Now tell me what you'd like to make under pain of poking!"

"Hmm." Shouma casts his gaze around the Takamiyas' house for inspiration. It looks homey and lived-in, maybe because it has furnishings that aren't grey, beige, or white. "A colourful...cushion? Wait, no, that's too hard, maybe something plain—"

"You don't have to settle for plain if you don't want it," and Himari pulls a skein of rainbow yarn from her shopping bag. "Ta-da! This yarn's multicoloured from the start, so you won't have to switch other colours in!"

Shouma searches his memory of the afternoon. "This is the kind where it becomes stripes, right?"

"Some are self-striping, but this isn't," Himari says. "It can be a little unpredictable, actually—you might not know how it'll look like till the end."

The yarn is dyed in a myriad of brilliant colours, all jumbled together in an erratically-shaded loop. Its embedded metallic fibres catch the fluorescent light, throwing off little glints and sparks. He can't begin to imagine the final result, but it seems like it'll be colourful no matter what. 

"Sounds good," Shouma says. "It's boring when you know exactly how things will turn out."  
  


* * *

  


#### Group: Ringo, Shouma, Himari

  


Ringo
    THESE were the mystery guests at the assembly
    Is it sending? I had to sneak the photo
    No video though, sorry Himari

Himari
    wow!! they were at your assembly??
    you're so lucky, ringo!

Ringo
    Don't worry, you'll be an Ohka student soon! We've got all sorts of events
    If the front office gets it together, you might even make it in time for Nature Week!
    My seniors told me that they brought otters in once

Shouma
    Who are they?
    I mean the people in your photo
    Not the otters

Ringo
    You haven't heard about Double H? Do you live in a hole?

Shouma
    No I live near Ikebukuro station

Ringo
    That's even less excuse! I know what line you take to school!!

Shouma
    OH
    The train announcement mascots??

Ringo
    THAT'S what you've been calling them?
    Anyway, Himari, Double H came to our school to announce a contest! It hasn't been officially launched yet but here's the link - hh-band.co.jp/contest/fated-connections
    If you're chosen, you get to sing on stage with them! You should totally take part!
    There's a personal story thing in addition to the audition video but I think you've got a great story for that (thanks to the Tokyo Sky Metro)

Himari
    thanks ringo!
    would our meeting be a "fated connection" to them though?
    they seem to be looking for something really extravagant

Ringo
    Double H's story was even simpler than ours
    They met in grade school and took part in a talent contest
    There weren't even ambulances involved!
    But when they talked about it, everyone in the school hall was in tears because that connection meant so much to them
    Anything can be fate
    As long as you believe it is

  


* * *

**

04 

**

**Higashi-Koenji**

It's a sunny Saturday morning, and Shouma's homeroom teacher has roped him into helping out with a birdwatching tour at Watazuka Park ("part of our school's grand tradition of community service!") As the only traditions West Garden High seems to observe on a regular basis are almost-but-not-quite making it to Koshien and fighting for the last yakisoba pan at the cafeteria, this claim seems highly suspect. Particularly as there are only two people on the tour, and one of them is Shouma.

"Mr. Tabuki," Shouma says. "Does it really count as community service if it's just us on the tour?"

"That's a very good question!" Mr. Tabuki smiles. "Does it count as submitting a form if you leave the choice of extracurricular activity blank, Takakura?"

"Um, my surname's actually Kasahara. Like, with the kanji for 'bamboo hat'."

"My apologies—I used to have a student who looked a lot like you, so I keep getting it mixed up. I'll remember from now on."

Shouma sticks his hands into his pockets. "Anyway, uh, sorry about the form. I'll fill it out as soon as I decide."

"Take your time—well, not too _much_ time, the front office has been hounding me about it, and I'm afraid I've been doing the same to you. But since I have you here, I'd just like to ask you a bit about yourself," and Mr. Tabuki chuckles insincerely. "I know it can be hard for transfer students to settle in, especially when they're not quite used to Tokyo. Have you made any friends since you started?"

"Well, there's Yamashita, we do our math homework together." Shouma plumbs his memory for more people he can mention without blatantly lying about his social life. "And if people from other schools count, there's Ringo from Ohka Garden. She's not my g-girlfriend or anything, though! We're just discount buddies! We met at the Pingrocer once, and—"

"Is her surname Oginome?" 

"Do you know her, Mr. Tabuki?" 

"I'm a friend of the Oginomes." Mr. Tabuki glances up at the sky, then continues. "I used to be friends with Ringo's older sister, before the accident."

"Oh," Shouma says, before realising he has no idea how to continue. Ringo's mentioned her sister and the train accident before, but most of his impression of Ringo's sister comes from glancing at the Oginomes' framed photos before heading into their kitchen to make curry with Ringo. "I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Don't be—it wasn't your fault, and it was a long time ago. I'm just pleased to know Ringo has a friend in you, or, well, a 'discount buddy', as you put it." He chuckles, and this time it actually sounds somewhat sincere.  
  
After a while of meandering around the park, Shouma works up the courage to ask the question he's been meaning to ask. "Mr. Tabuki, are there actually any birds in this park?"

"Is this your first time birdwatching?" 

Shouma nods, and Mr. Tabuki's look softens even more.

"There are plenty of birds, even now—it can take some training, but once you learn the subtle signs, the world just opens up. I run these tours for students on a regular basis, and you'd be surprised how short a time it takes them to go from bird beginners to bird experts! For instance, if you take a close look at that tree, you might be able to spot—hrrngghhhh," and Mr. Tabuki claps his hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle a shout. 

"Mr. Tabuki? Are you okay?"

"Taka...Kasa...Shouma! That tree! Look over there now!" Mr. Tabuki whisper-shouts at him. "That branch to the right!"

Shouma looks at the berry-laden tree that Mr. Tabuki is frantically pointing at, and even he can notice that, yes, it's a bird. It's a nice-looking one, with red streaks on its body, black-and-white striped wings, and a red-tipped tail. Another bird hops over to join it—it looks fairly similar, but with yellow streaks, a yellow-tipped tail, and slightly less...eyebrow? A third bird flutters down to join them both. It looks a bit like a crow-shaped penguin with a pale pink belly, and it has blue tints on the black part of its wings.

"A Japanese waxwing! A Bohemian waxwing! And a rosy starling! All on the same branch! In an urban area!" Mr. Tabuki is practically hyperventilating. "Shouma, this is...this is a miracle of birdwatching!"

Shouma, knowing nothing about birds, nods knowingly and helps Mr. Tabuki hold his binoculars steady once he's recovered from his initial excitement. The three birds hop around their chosen branch, pecking at clusters of berries, before eventually going their separate ways. 

After Mr. Tabuki is done taking notes on his sighting and they're eating their homemade bentos, Shouma works up the courage to ask another question. "I couldn't help noticing, when I was helping you with the binoculars...um..."

"The scar?"

"No, your ring. Won't the stone fall out?"

"Ah," Mr. Tabuki says, absently spinning the ring around on his finger. The red stone catches the light as it revolves. "It's tension-set. It looks like the stone's floating, but it isn't—the band has grooves cut to match the stone's exact shape, so the entire system anchors the gem in place. My fiancee thinks it's the best way to show a ruby off, and I can't say I disagree..."

"You're engaged?"

"That's a complicated question, but yes, I am." Mr Tabuki smiles. Shouma's survival instincts tell him that it's a good time to change the subject.

"Does the school have a handicrafts club, by the way?"

"It doesn't have one yet," Mr. Tabuki says. "I can help you with the paperwork."  
  


* * *

█ 

dream

  
SHOUMA  
Before the Handicrafts Club meeting  
UNKNOWN  
※ I met a girl in a dream. A story about a scorpion. She didn't like it much.

It's lunch break and Shouma lays his head down on the desk for just a moment. It's dangerous to take a nap when it might turn into a sleep, but he's spent most of yesterday helping Mr. Tabuki corral grade-school kids and teaching them about the ducks of Ueno Park, and he sorely needs rest before he helps his club members figure out the sewing machine.

He wakes up in a blank black void, with a little girl peering at him. She kind of reminds him of a child version of Ringo—her hair and eye colour is different, but she's examining him with the expression that Ringo has when she's really interested in something.

"It's pretty dark here, huh," Shouma says. 

"Power conservation is important," the girl replies. 

"Um." Shouma scours his memory for tips on how to deal with kids this age, but it just doesn't seem right to talk about PreCure with what seems to be a budding environmentalist. "Since we're both here, is there anything you'd like to talk about? Or tell me about?"

"Have you ever heard the story of the scorpion's fire?"

"No," Shouma says. "What's it about?"

"A long, long time ago, the scorpion's father killed innumerable creatures and disappeared, leaving the scorpion all alone in the world. The blame for his father's actions fell upon the innocent scorpion, and he was thrown into a deep well by the creatures of the world. As he drowned in the dark waters, he began to pray:

__

O, if I shall die, do not let me throw my life away in vain! Please visit my father's punishment upon myself! Look into my heart, dear God, and use my body for the good and happiness of all!

The scorpion saw his body turn bright red and burn into a beautiful flame, and the painful crimson fire seared his image into the scenery of the world. As he burned and burned, the creatures of the world looked at the red line of flame connecting the brilliant stars in their sky, and admired the beauty of the scorpion's sacrifice without knowing its cost."

The girl sighs.

"You didn't seem to like telling that story very much," Shouma says. 

"Every story has its place in the world," the girl says. "But I don't want the scorpion's sacrifice to be the only route possible." 

"Is there another one you'd like to hear? I could make something up for you." Shouma's powers of creativity can only go so far, but he's fairly experienced in throwing away his dignity for kids by now. "How do you feel about birds? Or I could tell another story about scorpions..."

"I'd prefer something else." The girl sits down on the ground, swinging her legs on what seems to be the edge of whatever they're standing on. "Perhaps you could tell me about your life."

Shouma has no idea what to say to that—after all, what's interesting about his life?—but once he gets started, it's surprisingly hard to stop.

"...and this weekend, we're going to see the Comedy of Macrame by the Sunshiny Theatre Troupe—our club advisor got us tickets! Don't tell anyone, but he's engaged to the lead actress, and she..." Shouma realises he's rambling, and breaks off halfway to glance at the girl. "Sorry, this must be really boring. You probably don't know half the people."

"It's much more interesting than the story I told," she says. "Let's hope the world agrees."  
  


* * *

  


#### Group: Ringo, Shouma, Himari

  


Ringo
    Shouma, have you been to Kiga Works before? The bead store in Shinjuku

Shouma
    Oh, the one with the guy and his pet rabbits? No, but I've heard it's pretty well-stocked
    I was supposed to go there with Himari once but we got distracted by yarn
    Anyway Yamashita wants to make a beaded friendship bracelet and Katagiri wants to do something with crystals—we were planning to go there this weekend and get some supplies, actually
    Why do you ask?

Ringo
    DO NOT GO THERE!!!
    The owner guy is a MEGACREEP
    Don't be fooled by his cute rabbits

Shouma
    What happened?? Are you okay??

Ringo
    I'm fine, don't worry
    I'm more concerned about you

Shouma
    Why?? What?? Me???

Ringo
    Shouma, quit calling me!! I want to type the story here so everyone can read it
    So I was just in that shop browsing
    And then I called you to ask about the equipment for Himari's audition video
    I guess the owner guy was listening in because after I hung up he came up to me and started asking me all sorts of creepy questions about you and how I knew you and who was in your family and some stuff about the world's scenery (huh??)
    Also he was trying to hide it but he seemed really pissed at you for some reason, which makes things even weirder if you've never been to his store
    Anyway I stomped on his stupid boots really hard and ran off
    Shouma, you should stay away from that place! He seems like a stalker!
    I'll send you some guides on how to protect yourself
    Himari, you stay away too!!

Shouma
    Thanks for the heads-up, hold on I'll go warn the other club members 

Himari
    that sounds terrible, ringo! are you okay? where are you now?

Ringo
    Near Shimokitazawa
    I'm pretty sure he didn't follow me, but I didn't want to get on my usual train just in case
    I'm at a cafe now
    This caramel apple frappe is much bigger than I expected, I'll be here a while

Himari
    stay safe!!

Shouma
    Okay everyone's warned about the creep now (thanks Ringo)
    What were you looking for? I know a couple other bead stores—the selection isn't as wide but probably not as many creeps
    I'll go with you, or you can come with the club this weekend when we go on our bead hunt

Ringo
    Just some project I'm working on
    It's fine, I'll find the materials somewhere else
    Focus on avoiding your stalker first, Shouma!!

Shouma
    Do you still want to discuss the video stuff, by the way? Club's over, I can go meet you now

Ringo
    Hmm
    This cafe isn't the easiest to find, and it's not like this is on the way for you...
    Maybe you should just head home and we can meet up tomorrow? Or I'll call you later when I'm back

Shouma
    How about we grab dinner at your mystery cafe? I'll call when I reach Shimokitazawa and you can give me directions
    My treat for warning us about that creep

Ringo
    Thanks! Their portions are huge, maybe we can share something
    The whipped cream pancake looks good
    Shimokitazawa isn't on your usual line, though—do you need help figuring out the transfer? 

Shouma
    It's fine
    I'm pretty good at trains by now

  


* * *

█ 

vision

  
SHOUMA  
UNKNOWN  
UNKNOWN  
※ UNKNOWN. UNKNOWN. UNKNOWN.

"Listen up," the girl says with her hands on her hips. It's a different persona from her usual. Her entire body's tense, and the imperiousness seems fake, like she has to give a speech she isn't quite prepared for and is covering up through sheer bravado. 

"Yes, O Magnificent Princess?" Shouma asks politely, hoping he guessed correct. Kids like it when you play along with them. "Your wish is my command."

The girl sighs, drops the pose, and runs her hand through her bangs in exasperation. There's something shiny stuck in the middle of her forehead—upon closer inspection, it's a holographic penguin sticker with the words PENGUIN FORCE printed on it. 

"Do you need help with that sticker?" Shouma asks. "Or is it a fashion choice?" It doesn't seem to go with her outfit, but maybe there's some other reason she stuck it on. 

"It won't come off," she says. "It's all right. I'm used to it. Anyway, listen up, you being of limited duration! The dark bun—"

"I think I have something that could help."

"It probably can't." Her chin juts out stubbornly. She seems like she's used to solving all her problems by herself, which just makes Shouma want to help her all the more. 

"Well, maybe, but do me a favour and let me try before giving up for good." Shouma crouches down to her eye level, and begins rummaging in his crafts bag. Washi tape, spare sewing kits, his half-complete attempt at amigurumi, all the stuff that Himari and Ringo dump in despite his constant reminders that it's a _crafts_ bag and not an _anything-goes_ bag—and there they are, the anti-adhesive pads he bought when Yamashita decided his latest craft project was a duct tape wallet for his boyfriend. "These're practically magic when it comes to removing sticky stuff. Looks like it's been stuck on for a while, so this might sting. Here goes—bend down a little, hold your hair away from it, and let's see..."

It takes much longer than he expects. The sticker clings on to her forehead for dear life. Halfway through, the anti-adhesive pads stop working, and he ends up using a combination of Himari's otter washi tape and Ringo's double-action eye makeup remover to get enough leverage for the final portion, mentally thanking both of them for their contribution to his anything-goes bag as he tries his best to peel the stubborn thing off. 

When he finally gets the sticker free, it seems determined to stick onto him instead, and almost manages to glom on to his thumb before the girl vehemently blows on it, forcing it off his skin. Once it hits the air, it shatters into crystalline pieces and simultaneously catches on fire, which seems a little like overkill. The blank black platform they're on explodes into pure light. Symbols dyed in a myriad of brilliant colours hover in mid-air, trailing rainbow lines as they twine around and around each other—otters, knitting needles, birds, apples, trains, and for some odd reason, the Pingrocer logo—before settling down to orbit both Shouma and the girl in an endless, erratic, braided loop.

"Oh." She reaches her hand up to touch her newly bare forehead, and the grimly determined expression on her face melts into relief. " _Oh._ Thank you. That makes things far easier."

"How long was that there?"

"An eternity. Several universes ago. Sixteen years. Choose whichever one you'd like."

"Sounds like a long time," Shouma says. "Anyway, weren't you going to tell me something before this? It seemed like you had bad news."

"I did." She pushes her bangs back into place, and straightens up, smoothing out the front of her pinafore dress. "But now I don't. Thank you for helping me."

"Happy to help."

"I know. Enjoy your future, Kasahara Shouma," she says. "You've earned it."  
  


* * *

  


#### Shouma, Himari

  


Shouma
    Himari!!!

Himari
    sho? what is it

Shouma
    HELP
    What do I do with the end of the yarn here???
    What if Ringo
     What if SOMEONE pulls it and it unravels??

Himari
    oohhhh! that's an awesome apple, sho
    it's hard to believe this is your first amigurumi! it looks so professional
    if you want you can borrow my needle-felting kit and we can make a leaf for it
    anyway that's a good problem to have! it means you're almost finished
    you just use the darning needle for the final touches
    there's this method i use where you thread it through the stitches you already made and pull it closed like a magic ring for a really smooth finish
    poof! it's like it was one whole thing all along
    don't worry, sho! it won't unravel! and if it ends up kind of lumpy, we'll just make the cute little leaf bigger to hide that
    i'm sure she'll l
    oh
    oh my GOD

Shouma
    Himari????
    Himari are you okay???? What happened????

Himari
    i won
    I WON
    the double h thing!!!!!!!! i won!!!!!!!!!
    they said they loved my audition tape and my story
    they want to come over and meet me and we'll discuss what to sing on stage together
    i need to clean my room up
    i need to clean my HOUSE up
    i need to call ringo and tell her they want to meet her too!!!!
    i can't believe this is happening
    i'm going to perform at the destiny ring theatre with double h
    this is a dream come true!!!!!!

Shouma
    CONGRATULATIONS HIMARI!!!
    If you need help cleaning up i'm free right after the club meeting

Himari
    yes of course!!!!! thank you!!!!!
    bring your apple too
    i'll help with the last bit once we're done

  


* * *

  


**

25 

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**Ikebukuro**

21 

**Ikebukuro**

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13 

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**Ikebukuro**

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12 

**

**Ikebukuro**

**

09 

**

**Ikebukuro**

**

09 

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**Ikebukuro**

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01 

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**Ikebukuro**

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01 

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**Ikebukuro**

  


"Shouma! Over here!" Ringo's at the front of the crowd, pressed up against the stage barrier, wearing—oh. She takes a look at his outfit and flushes pink.

"I thought you'd show up wearing your Double H shirt," Shouma says. 

"I'm here to support _Himari_ ," Ringo says, adjusting her hand-knitted oversized fire-red cardigan. She's wearing it over a short black dress and tights. It's extremely flattering. 

Shouma shoves his hands into the pockets of his hand-knitted black cardigan (with fire-red trim). He's wearing it with a white shirt and jeans, and it's probably less flattering than Ringo's outfit. "Are these the same shade of red?"

"She told me she wanted to use her yarn stash up before the next sale, so...probably."

"Looks good on you." 

"You too," Ringo says. "We look like a couple, though."

"Would that really be a bad thing?" Shouma feels like kicking himself the moment the words leave his mouth. Is he an idiot? Have mystery playboy germs somehow invaded his brain? 

"Maybe it wouldn't."

Before Shouma has time to process this revelation, the overhead ring of the Destiny Ring Theatre lights up, strobing red-green-brown-blue-orange before finally settling on pure bright white, and the crowd around them roars. Music begins blasting from the speakers, Ringo's hand shoots out to grab Shouma's as the crowd surges forward, and Double H step onto stage in a cloud of blue and pink smoke, wave hello to the cheering crowd, and immediately open with "Everyone's Gone Nutso!!" 

There's no sign of Himari during the first three songs. She's been really coy about the concert details ever since passing them their VIP tickets, and Shouma takes advantage of a lull in between songs to ask Ringo about it.

"I don't know anything either," Ringo says. "You know how she gets all sneaky when she has a secret, and then she starts giggling to herself? I didn't want to ruin that by actually asking."

"Didn't Double H let you know the details? You met with them too, right?"

"They asked me if I wanted to go on for the intro bit, but I turned it down—it's Himari's time to shine, I didn't want to upstage her on her big day. They've been doing the rehearsals and planning in private since then." Ringo looks a bit sheepish. "Don't tell Himari, though. She thinks I have stage fright."

"You've got a good heart."

"Don't be fooled," Ringo says. "I'm pretty selfish—I have to go against my instincts a _lot_ to do things like this."

"It makes it more meaningful, though," Shouma says. "You being nice, I mean."

"Thanks," and then the overhead ring of light flares red, and Ringo grabs Shouma's hand even harder than before as Double H start talking about their contest and its winner and the destined encounter she had with someone on a train, who became her best friend and made her hospital stay worth remembering. Ringo is practically shaking with emotion by that point, so Shouma gives up on handholding and just puts her arm around her. Himari strides on wearing a version of Double H's signature bodysuit customised with peach trim, pink glittering stars in her long brown hair, and Double H step aside for her as she takes centre stage. Himari plants her thigh-high-clad feet firmly on the ground and takes a deep breath.

Ringo and Shouma wait, stock-still. 

"Welcome to rock and roll night," Himari says, grinning impishly, and launches into Double H's signature track, the one that catapulted them to fame, nailing every single note of "Rock Over Japan" alongside Double H like she was always meant to be there. Based on his limited knowledge of concerts, Shouma knows he should probably be dancing, or waving a lightstick, or something instead of tearing up with emotion and shouting Himari's name, but Ringo is doing the same thing, so at least he's in good company.

Himari leaves the stage after a final cry of "Rock Over Japan", and Shouma and Ringo stay for approximately thirty seconds of the next song before giving in to impatience and rushing backstage to see Himari. She's talking to her uncle and aunt, and when she glimpses both of them in the green room, her eyes widen with shock.

"What are you doing here," Himari blurts out. "The concert's still going on! You're missing all the action! Ringo, they haven't even played "Scorch My Soul" yet!"

"We're here for you," Ringo says. "We can catch Double H any time," which is a ridiculous lie, as Shouma's acutely aware of exactly how fast their concert tickets sell out.

"Do you have to go back onstage, though?" Shouma asks.

"I might have to go onstage for the encore, and there's an afterparty at Sunshiny City later with lots of famous people. You can be my plus-ones for that!" Himari exclaims. "And Double H's booked a hotel suite, we're going to talk music there...would you like to come along too? It'll be fun!"

"Oh, um," Ringo says, elbowing Shouma in the ribs. "We can make it for the afterparty, but maybe not the hotel suite thing. Shouma has an early start tomorrow—some sort of birdwatching thing—and I'm probably helping him with that!" 

Shouma nods, tries to project the image of an extreme bird-lover, and silently hopes that Himari doesn't catch on, or at least has the courtesy not to call them out on their blatant lies.

The afterparty consists of them sneaking hors d'oeuvres in between Ringo subtly steering Himari towards select people with Shouma's help. She seems to have dossiers on each one of them and their usefulness for Himari's career prospects, which is simultaneously touching and terrifying. By the time the afterparty winds down and Himari's bundled off to Double H's hotel suite, it's close to midnight.

"Shouldn't you be getting on the last train?" Shouma asks. "I think you can still make it if you run."

"Okay, _no,_ " Ringo says. "I'm starving, my feet are killing me, my mum's overseas so I don't even need to be back tonight, and I really, really, really don't want to run anywhere right now. I'm going to get some food and figure out what to do."

Shouma plucks up his courage. "Want to come over to my place? We can make some instant ramen, you can borrow my clothes and sleep over—I'll take the couch—and you can catch the train back whenever you wake up."

"Lead the way," Ringo says.  
  


* * *

  
As Shouma unlocks his front door, he remembers a certain something, which, like an idiot, he's completely forgotten about until that very moment. 

"It's adorable," Ringo exclaims, picking up her own unwrapped birthday present from Shouma's coffee table, one week before her actual birthday. "Did you make this, Shouma?"

After some deliberation, Shouma decides that honesty is probably the best option. "Um...yes, and happy early birthday? You can take it home first if you want."

"I knew it!" Ringo exclaims. "No wonder you were so weird when I came over to help clean Himari's place! You two were working on this then, weren't you?"

Shouma nods sheepishly.

"Well, if that's the case, I might as well pass your birthday present to you now," Ringo says, and begins rummaging around in her handbag. "Then we'll be on equal terms."

"You got something for me?" Shouma blurts out, and Ringo rolls her eyes as she presses a small hard object into Shouma's palm.

"I _made_ something for you. Happy early birthday, Shouma."

Shouma looks at the thing in his palm. It's a tiny blue horse made up of crystal beads, with a strap and lobster clasp attached to it. Every bead is secured by meticulous hand stitches, and he can tell that it must have taken Ringo ages to put everything together. 

"I couldn't find a gift, so I ended up making one." Ringo's cheeks are flushed. "I mean, who names their kid with the characters for Crystal Horse? Anyway, if you don't want it..." 

"I definitely want it," Shouma says, and whips out his cellphone, tying the strap to its case immediately. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," and Ringo's turned even redder than her namesake, so Shouma decides to leave off at that for the night instead of blurting out something like "I love you" when he's fairly sure both of them are too hungry and exhausted to handle that many feelings at once. After eating a random combination of instant ramen flavours, topped with eggs and a packet of Pingrocer's Easy Stir-Fry Vegetables, they both manage to take showers and head off to sleep without any major mishaps or love confessions.

Shouma passes out the moment he hits the couch, and wakes up to the low rumble that means the trains have started running again. His face is plastered to his rainbow cushion with drool, his ears still ringing from the concert.

His apartment starts to shake as the first train departs, then the next, then the next. He stares up at his living room ceiling, illuminated by reflected streetlights and gradually lightening sky, thinks of what Ringo might like to eat for breakfast, and lets the beautiful noise of it all soak into his soul, the clamorous bustle of the city, the shrill chirping of birds, the metallic rattling of the interchange, the soft snores from his bedroom, and the sound of fates changing tracks, connecting, merging, and finally settling into place. 


End file.
